Vancouver Grizz Fans for Real?

[BTRoots]

My arena is hockey, but, would hate to lose the Grizz. News here in Vancouver is not good. Heisley has Stern's support/Vancouver doesn't. And Silicon Valley's Mr. Daniel Chiang seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. Is Vancouver really a basketball town or does it deserve to lose the Grizz? Are there any Vancouver Grizz fans out there? I read how basketball fans are griping about the possible loss, but no one seems to really care. And here I was, just getting ready to spread my wings and learn about the game. Am I more interested in the probable loss than die-hard fans? Can't be. Vancouver? "Anybody out there"? Hello.

[Marc]

It's a shame... the Grizz have loads of talent, but they can't convert talent into W's. I think they need to move to another city...

[Jersey Devil]

Let's compare the situations of two sports franchises ...

Take into consideration the NFL's New Orleans Saints. There's rumors of them moving, but why? What's the real reason behind it? They're fine where they are, the get the Superbowl at their house every other year, they just got to the 2nd round of the playoffs this year after winning their division, etc. Though luxury boxes in Toronto are tempting, there's no real reason for the Saints to leave.

Now take into consideration the Vancouver Grizz of the NBA. It's not as if their owner is not making enough money from the team, the guy is moving farther and farther into the red. The amount of money the guy is set to lose this year rivals only such things as the amount of shots Jerry Stackhouse shoots and misses every game. The team is loaded with some talented players, yet they can't seem to win. The fan base has twindled since the opening tipoff of the franchise. A change here is needed, for the sake of the franchise, and even the league.

Like I said, I'm not usually for teams moving (I'm still frustrated over the 2001 Superbowl Champions leaving the Dog Pound). I guarantee you if the team were still in Cleveland people would have had some reason to watch the game! In the Grizz case, though, I'll make an exception.

[NickHammy]

Please don't start talking about the old Browns....it makes me depressed.

[BTRoots]

Looks like a done deal. Most/all sports writers here are forecasting the lucky city to be New Orleans. However, not all concerned are in agreement of the move. Shareef Abdur-Rahim, although wanting a trade, says he'll want out, where ever they end up. He says its a problem with the team, an it will stay with the team, whereever. He obviously knows something we don't.

Just a quick mention of something else. When the NBA first expanded here, with the Grizzlies, the NBA "prohibited the Grizzlies from owning the first pick in the draft in their first three years of existence", and also, "limited the first Grizzlies' team to 67% of the leagues salary cap in their first year and 75% in their second" (Ed Willes in the Vancouver Sun). No other NBA franchise ever had these limitations placed on them. Stern has admitted he made mistakes. Kind of him, given his quick spin-around in the face of Heisley's request. Any comments about this?

[BTRoots]

With 99.999% of NBA teams being American, I thought maybe someone would have an opinion or actually know why these limitatians were placed on the 'other' Canadian team. OK, you don't care. I just wanted to know if anyone knew why.

But, that's OK. It doesn't really matter now.

[lmanchur.]

There's 30 teams in the NBA, right?... so that's only 93.333333333333 per cent of the teams in the league that are American... maybe if it was 99.99999 per cent they'd care, but........ ;)

[Marc]

Originally posted by CanFan
With 99.999% of NBA teams being American, I thought maybe someone would have an opinion or actually know why these limitatians were placed on the 'other' Canadian team. OK, you don't care. I just wanted to know if anyone knew why.

But, that's OK. It doesn't really matter now.
My best guess as to why Stern put these limitations on the expansion teams is to discourage new teams - which can harm the league, if there are too many of them. But, it ended up never giving the franchise a chance to get off the ground.

[Spike]

Well last I heard, Nashville recently pulled out of the running to get the Grizzlies and San Jose is in. The San Jose Sharks President or something contacted the Grizzlie ownership about how the city of San Jose would like to be considered.

But I also heard that Michael Heisley (the Grizzlies' majority owner) wants to go to a place where his basketball team will be the only tenant in the building they play so that makes Louisville and New Orleans the front runners right now.

[BTRoots]

Solely from what I read, I understand that there was at least one other expansion team, if not two, that entered the scene the same time as the Grizz. The Grizz was the only team under those limitations. Makes one wonder.

As to the future location of the Grizz, according to the papers here, most, if not all, locations are 'out of the question' for one reason or another. Seems, Mr. Heisley's options for relocaion are few. It will be interesting, no doubt.

What I find really amazing is that ever since word came down that the team will be relocating, they've started to win. Is this a case of Americans (which most, if not all, great basketball players are) happy to be going home?

Word here is that money not spent on the Grizz, will be spent on the Canucks, or other things, and won't hurt the economy. Still a shame. :(

[ryanpaige]

Originally posted by CanFan
With 99.999% of NBA teams being American, I thought maybe someone would have an opinion or actually know why these limitatians were placed on the 'other' Canadian team. OK, you don't care. I just wanted to know if anyone knew why.

But, that's OK. It doesn't really matter now.

They were placed on both Canadian teams. It wasn't because they were Canadian teams, though, it was because they were expansion teams. And you can blame Shaq and the Orlando Magic. Many owners of established teams didn't like it when the Magic picked up Shaq in the draft and made the finals relatively early in their existance, so the rules were rigged for the next expansion teams to make it harder for them to be as good as fast.

The Raptors did have the same limitations.

And there are only 29 NBA teams, not 30.

[Spike]

Originally posted by ryanpaige:

And you can blame Shaq and the Orlando Magic. Many owners of established teams didn't like it when the Magic picked up Shaq in the draft and made the finals relatively early in their existance, so the rules were rigged for the next expansion teams to make it harder for them to be as good as fast.

Yeah, I remember this now. It was also because the Magic had won the lottery 2 straight years. They got Shaq one year and the next year ended up trading the other overall #1 pick to the Warriors for Penny Hardaway and 3 future first rounders.

Because of that, when the next round of expansion came in which was only the Raptors and the Grizzlies, both Vancouver and Toronto weren't allowed to win the lottery in their first like 5 years of existence.

Speaking of the Grizz, they won yet again today, beating Minnesota. Garnett was awful from the field from what I heard. That is kind of weird, how they are playing some of their best ball with this cloud hanging over them about them leaving Vancouver. Then again 2 of those wins were over my lowly Warriors, but the win today against a quality team like the Timberwolves is mighty impressive.

[BTRoots]

Not being basketball wise, I only know what I read in the local papers. I read, in Grizz Land, that the two limitations I voiced earlier, were placed on the Grizz ONLY. No other expansion team ever had such limitations.

However, I do think that its getting curiouser and curiouser, that the Grizz have had the winning streak of the life of the team, since word came down that they'd be moving. Players deny it, but it is something to think about.

The story is not over yet. Both Heisley and Stern have a lot to answer for if the rumoured class action suit goes ahead. They have some questions to answer regardless. There are some monied persons in town who are willing to part with some of same, if they can get to Heisley's records and proof of a $50 million loss in the first year of his ownership. It will be interesting to see the outcome of all that is going on.

The beat goes on. :D